News From:
Regional Sections
Midwest: Starts Year in Grand Rapids
The Midwest Regional Section announced its programming for 2010-2011. A variety of programs is planned in each of the four states of the Section with topics that should interest all of the members in the region. The first programming event will take place on October 16 in Michigan at Grand Rapids’ largest community theatre, the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
The professional staff and guest artists at GRCT have planned a full day starting with a tour followed by a pair of morning workshop sessions. One session will allow participants to work hands-on with a variety of lighting consoles to control moving light fixtures, even older “conventional” consoles. The other morning session is a hands-on workshop presented by Dawn Butler, a professional make-up artist who has worked with a variety of films and TV commercials that have filmed in Grand Rapids. She will work with participants to understand and practice the different make-up needs of actors on stage and in front of the camera.
In the afternoon, the sound designers at GRCT and representatives from Corporate Sound Inc. will present the differences between analog and digital audio consoles and allow participants to try out both types. For those who are looking for different and inexpensive ways to create some grand items in their scenic designs, Jim Chervenka, GRCT’s technical director, and Brad Wynalda, from Arvron, Inc., will discuss and show off the variety of possibilities that Styrofoam can to work.
For those who wish to see the quality work that Grand Rapids Civic Theatre presents, Section members can get discounted tickets to that evening’s performance of Our Town.
Check out the Midwest Section’s webpage at www.usittmidwest.org for complete details and pre-registration for the event in Grand Rapids and for the rest of the year’s programming in Whitewater, Wisconsin; Chicago; and Indianapolis.
Desert State: Workshop Being Held October 16
The Desert State Section will hold Student Focused Workshops October 16 at Northern Arizona University. In the morning the focus will be on portfolio review and applying for jobs. This session will be useful to students at any point in their college career, whether they are ready to graduate and preparing for U/RTA interviews, job seeking at the USITT Annual Conference, or those just starting college careers who would like to learn what goes into an effective portfolio. All participating students will present portfolios to a panel who will then provide feedback on content as well as presentation style.
This workshop is specifically intended to help students from across the state prepare to apply for the USITT Student Awards Scholarship, which pays for student registration at the Annual Conference for up to three students from the Desert State Section.
In the afternoon, there will be a hands-on found object build project. Participants will be divided into teams according to areas of interest: scenery/props, costumes, lighting, or sound. Each will be given an object or assignment on what to construct. They will have approximately two hours to complete a “build” out of materials provided. This session will require quick team building, collaboration, and creative problem solving.
At the end, each team will have a chance to present the project and receive feedback. The cost for the day is $10, which includes student membership in the Desert State Section and lunch that day (participants' Desert State membership will then be current through January of 2012).
October is a beautiful time to visit northern Arizona, with the crisp nights, warm days, and the fall colors. There's plenty to see and do for those who opt to stay an extra day, and one suggestion is to make arrangements to attend a performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which is being performed by the NAU Theatre Department that weekend.
